Make the Change Birth Trauma Conference September 2019

Some of my clients book with me following a previous negative birth experience, with tocophobia (fear of birth) or sometimes with birth related PTSD caused by a prior traumatic birth.

Some book because they are aware that their mental well-being may make them more in need of one to one care throughout their maternity journey.

This interdisciplinary conference organised by Make Birth Better focused on peri-natal mental health and improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of birth trauma was one of the best on the subject I have been to.

With a variety of speakers covering consent law during birth, LGBT+ and birth, identifying peri-natal mental ill health by asking the right questions and PTSD as experienced by Midwives and Obstetricians, the importance of the relationship between care giver and birthing person, of choice, autonomy, and kindness, of being listened to and being treated with respect and dignity came across powerfully.

The words of Lizzie Redgrave had me in tears. Her 10 years of trauma, the huge effect of the lack of care, the dismissal of her concerns, the unkind words that she could still repeat like it was just last week. The raw pain of her grief and her huge bravery in being able to tell a room full of clinicians, academics and students about the physical and the psychological affects on her family, forever.

I’ll be looking out for more from these people. It was an amazing day.